The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the death of owner and chairman Dan Rooney on Thursday.
Rooney, 84, was the son of Art Rooney, the first owner of the team. The younger Rooney earned an accounting degree at Duquesne University and worked in the Steelers front office until he eventually became team president in 1975, serving until 2002.
Rooney’s contributions to the NFL were many, but he is perhaps best known for the “Rooney Rule,” which required minority candidates to be interviewed for coaching positions. Rooney was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Rooney was named as the United States Ambassador to Ireland under President Barack Obama from 2009 until 2012.
